Those interested in finding work abroad do learn those skills as they realize they are important to international job search success.

However, there is another skill not often talked about all the time to which I want to bring your attention. That skill is the ability to express yourself and communicate with confidence.

Is Confidence a Skill?

Many people would not consider confidence a skill, but something you possess. Indeed, confidence is defined as “a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.”

However, all the confidence in the world is not worth much if you can’t use that feeling to communicate your thoughts, perspectives, and what you offer with conviction at key moments – namely when networking, interviewing, or writing your resume, CV, or professional bio.

How the International Job Search Can Lead to a Loss of Confidence

The reality is, if you are human, you cannot feel equally as confident about yourself and your abilities 100% of the time. There are always situations and circumstances when confidence can falter – especially when in new or unfamiliar environments like operating in, or communicating with, other cultures. And those cross-cultural moments are part of every international job search.

When those moments of uncertainty happen while you are networking, interviewing, or writing your career marketing documents, that self-doubt can also be conveyed with your message. Expressing doubt in yourself or your ideas naturally generates doubt in the receivers’ minds. They can question whether or not they can trust that what you are saying is true.

Hence the power of your message can fall flat or the engagement can ultimately be unsuccessful. So, regardless of which international job search strategies you use, that lack of confidence is going to greatly reduce the likelihood of getting desired results.

How Do You Know if You Are Communicating with Confidence?

Lack of confidence in any moment can show up in many different ways. Verbal lack of confidence may come through in:

• Being hesitant to speak up, share your thoughts, or advocate for yourself
• The tone or volume of your voice
• Qualifying or downplaying the importance of what you are saying

In written form, lack of conficence can show up as:

• Using less powerful and clear words
• Not conveying all of the value you have created and can create in your CV and bio
• Burying your most distinctive qualities behind more generic or neutral qualifications
• Less thoughtful and service-oriented language and questions when networking

Having helped hundreds of new and seasoned executives and professionals alike across the globe in clarifying their goals and their unique value or personal brand, the loss of confidence is something that everyone experiences at one time or another – especially when communicating across cultures is involved.

Developing the ability to draw on your confidence when you need it most is a skill that everyone conducting an international job search should do.

How do you Prevent Loss of Confidence from Sabotaging your International Job Search?

There are numerous ways that one can develop confidence and learn to leverage it in important moments in a job search. However, when we are talking about the international job search, communicating across cultures is one of the most common triggers for a person’s confidence faltering.

One of the most effective ways to insure you can maintain your confidence when engaging across cultures is to learn more about the culture in which you are engaging.  FInding the answers to these questions can help:

• What are the primary values of this culture?
• How are those values expressed?
• How important are having the right relationships or credentials to being seen as credible?
• At what pace, and how, are relationships built?
• How might their attitude toward gender affect your engagement?
• How are cover letters and CVs normally formatted and sent to target employers?
• How should I present myself in an interview?
• How is salary negotiation handled?

It’s also important to consider that the ability to engage and communicate in culturally relevant ways is another factor that employers are using to evaluate you as a candidate.

[More: 10 Job Search Tips for International Job Seekers]

Bottom Line

Being able to leverage your confidence and communicate with respectful conviction in key moments both verbally and in writing is critical to international job search success. It’s important to recognize that regardless of their level of experience, every executive’s and professional’s confidence can falter – particularly when dealing across cultures.

Learning everything you can about how to best engage and communicate effectively in your target culture is one of the best ways to insure your confidence will be there when you need it in key moments of your international job search. It will also make you a much more attractive candidate to employers who are evaluating candidates based on their ability to perform in a new culture or multicultural environment.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post Critical International Job Search Skill: Cross-Cultural Confidence appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Networking Helps in Understanding Marketplace Differences

Every country has a unique combination of economic, social and cultural influences that affect their employment climate. Often these influences can present unique challenges or opportunities not present in other countries or markets.

Understanding these factors can help you effectively position yourself and refine the goals and strategies of your international job search.

Often the only way to access much of this information is through the people operating in those countries and markets. They usually have the greatest insight into the variety of these forces at work and their impact on job opportunities.

Taking the time to build and nurture relationships and so you can get access to this intelligence is extremely important to international job search success.

The Hidden Job Market Size Varies

One of the reasons why networking is so critical to any job search is that up to 75% of jobs are not advertised. The primary way to find out about these jobs is through other people.

Hence the breadth, depth and strength of someone’s network will significantly impact the number of opportunities they’d potentially be aware of and/or for which they’d be considered.

The size of this hidden job market can vary from country to country. But in many cases the percentage of jobs never advertised is much higher than 75%. – particularly in emerging markets and more relationship based economies.

Access to Opportunites Differs

Since many people have spent much of their life in the country in which they were born, they’ve had the opportunity to build and nurture their network since childhood. This could happen through their family, friends, going to school and participating in any number of activities outside work.

Years in the workplace will have provided countless additional opportunities to expand their network and build advocates of which they may not even be aware – that is if they have the history of performance to warrant a recommendation or referral.

Of course it is very possible to build a strong network of relationships in support of one’s international job search in their target country via others or their own work, study or outreach overseas.

However it’s important to recognize the potentially dramatic differences between the world of opportunities available to you when starting a domestic job search versus when starting an international one.

This is because those differences mean a successful international job search can require significantly more time to build the right network – so schedule accordingly.

Building Relationships Takes Time

Building strong relationships does not happen overnight. They take time. And in a busy professional’s, consultant’s, or executive’s schedule, time can be somewhat scarce.

You simply cannot wait to start building your global network – particularly in your country of choice – until you are looking for a new job. You want to be sure when opportunities arise you have the network to support you in landing them.

Lack of In-Person Networking Opportunities

Building relationships and rapport with people is generally much more effective in person. In some cultures, it is an essential way to build relationships based in trust. The lack of opportunities for in-person networking due to the lack of being co-located makes prioritizing your networking efforts all the more important. That lack of in-person engagement can mean building connections and trust take even more time.

When possible, scheduling time to visit the country to do some networking “in country” is highly recommended.

Understanding the Culture and Cultural Barriers

Every country and culture has their own networking etiquette and way of doing business. Though there can be many similarities, no two countries are exactly alike in this regard. Even within a country there can be regional differences.

These differences in networking styles can create challenges to building a network in your target country. Even a small cultural faux pas can have a big impact on relationship building. And because you will rarely get direct feedback when you’ve made these faux pas, you often won’t know you are making them.

Hence learning about the networking style and relationship building etiquette in your target country is another essential element to international job search success.

[More: 10 Job Search Tips for International Job Seekers]

Bottom Line

For those considering, or actively involved in, an international job search, the importance of networking cannot be emphasized enough. It’s a critical tool for accessing important foreign market intelligence and opportunities in them as well as having the relationships you need to support your candidacy when opportunities arise.

As developing a strong network can take time, it is never too early to start building your network in your country of choice.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post Why Networking Is Critical to International Job Search Success appeared first on Job-Hunt.

The Portable Career

A portable career is a career that you can take with you wherever you go. It can gracefully move with you to a new city or new country – whether for several months or several years.

A portable career gives you more freedom to choose where you want to live and work, and helps you maintain a professional identity rather than starting over professionally every time you move somewhere new.

It also gives you more flexibility to organize your work to support an international lifestyle, and can actually help you work less so you can enjoy life overseas more.

Why a “Portable” Career?

There are many reasons for building a portable career.

You may live or desire to live in a country where:

• You don’t speak the language, rendering you ineligible for most jobs.
• It’s extremely difficult if not impossible to get a work permit.
• Your credentials are not accepted or recognized.
• There is no demand for your specific skill set.
• Earning potential or salary levels are too low to support your desired lifestyle.

Or you may want to travel and experience the world. You want the freedom that comes from doing location-independent work.

Portable Career Options

Historically there have been few careers that were both truly portable and provided a livable income. These careers have included teaching, nursing, childcare, or administrative support.

However, with today’s advances in technology such as voice over IP programs like Skype, high-speed internet connections, and the ability to set up businesses and to market your services online, the list of portable career options is now much longer.

The list of jobs that can be made portable include: accountant, artist, web designer, computer programmer, online business manager, IT services, coaching, consulting, writer, journalist, publicist, teacher, import/exporter, social media strategist, trader, researcher, and event organizer.

As markets become more global and technology evolves, we are sure to not only see more portable career options available, but more people pursuing them to make their dream of an international, mobile lifestyle a reality.

Portable vs. Non-Portable Careers

But how does a portable career differ from a non-portable career?

There are a few key differences:

• Portable careers often involve services or skill sets that are generally in high demand worldwide. Careers in education and training, healthcare and technology are often portable because the demand for services usually outweighs the local supply of talent.
• Portable careers are not primarily driven by credentials or degrees that are jurisdiction or location specific. Law degrees and medical degrees are examples of credentials that are not readily accepted everywhere.
• Though not always the case, portable careers generally do not limit a person to their local market. Portable careers can involve providing services virtually or selling products online. You could be a coach or consultant that provides local in-person coaching or consulting, but also provide services via phone or video chat globally. In fact you could be running a business online that does not sell to anyone at all in your local market.
• Portable careers usually involve regular engagement with technology and online business and communication tools. This is particularly true if a person is providing services virtually or creating and selling products online.
• Portable careers generally do not involve owning and managing brick and mortar businesses. The process of setting up that kind of business and the difficulties of selling or moving it make it less than ideal for someone looking for a more mobile lifestyle.

That said, organizations are becoming more and more global. Not only will many of the jobs of tomorrow be delivered or conducted virtually, but I believe changes in the marketplace will lead to more specialized virtual services.

Hence there will be more portable jobs as well as fewer jobs that could not be considered portable to some degree.

Bottom Line

If you are conducting an international job search and have a true desire to work abroad, consider pursuing a portable career. A portable career can not only get you working overseas, but help keep you working abroad for the long-term.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post International Job Search and Portable Careers appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Things to Consider When Relocating Abroad Within Your Company

For some people, the first step towards making a move abroad is actually getting a job at an organization that has international operations to facilitate this possibility.

But there are many things to consider before making the decision to pursue an international assignment:

Your Long-Term Career Plan

Moving overseas with a company does not guarantee that your career at that company will be accelerated as a result of the assignment. It also does not guarantee that there will be a job waiting for you upon your return.

In some cases, quite the opposite result can occur if pre-emptive steps are not taken to avoid this. You can’t assume that your company is thinking about your career path when they send you overseas to address immediate or short-term business objectives.

First and foremost, I recommend that you start with your long-term career goals in mind and determine how an international assignment would actually support them.

Then, work with your company to insure there is a strategy in place for capitalizing on your international experience when the assignment is done.

Understanding the Value of International Experience

It’s important that you understand the value of gaining experience abroad so you can convey this to your organization and help them understand how they can benefit.

Surprising as it is, there are many companies who invest hundreds of thousands sending an employee overseas, but do not understand how they can best capitalize on that investment upon their return.

Due to this lack of understanding, they often place these employees in jobs that underutilize their skills once they have returned – especially those skills newly gained from their experience abroad. This is one of the reasons why up to 40% of international assignees leave their organization after their first year of being back.

The Impact on Family

Moving abroad is not just your decision – it affects the whole family. To set you up for success, be sure that making the move is a decision that everyone involved is on board with.

The move can affect all aspects of life and work/life balance issues can arise. This means that there is often more burden placed on family members to deal with the move – everything from setting up house, getting kids in schools, and/or getting access to the right doctors and service providers necessary for getting through daily life.

Reportedly, the number one reason for international assignment failure is spousal dissatisfaction. Having your spouse excited about a move abroad and informed about the realities of what it means for them is critical. A failed international assignment is not going to bode well for your career future at your current (or any other) company.

The Bottom Line

Doing the proper amount of reflection and communication with your family and employer will help you make the right decision about relocating abroad with your company, and set you up for long-term career success.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post Is International Work a Good Option for You? appeared first on Job-Hunt.

When you consider that 80% of the population of Dubai and almost 30% of Singapore residents are expatriates, reports that there are over 210 million expatriates worldwide are not surprising.

Globalization, new technologies, and more cost effective options for travel are making this more possible for more people with every day.

With an increasing number of people leaving their countries to go abroad, one might think that there are fewer good job opportunities for the aspiring expatriate. But this is absolutely not the case.

The Number of International Assignments are Increasing

The desire to expand abroad is also an increasing trend with companies and organizations. With shrinking economic growth rates in certain regions of the world, companies know they have to expand into markets where growth and opportunities exist not just to thrive, but to survive.

As a result, international assignments are increasing. In a recent global relocation trends survey by Brookfield GRS, 43% of the respondents said that international assignees increased in 2010 – the first increase since 2006. It also reported that 61% of respondents expect the final numbers for 2011 to show an increase in assignees as well.

The primary driver for companies sending people abroad has historically been lack of skill sets and professional experience of local workforces in countries or markets in which they are operating. Although increasingly companies are sending their people abroad for developmental purposes, the lack of skills and experience needed to achieve business objectives is still the number one reason companies in 2012 are sending people to work overseas.

The Global War for Talent Means Greater Demand for Specific Skills

This increased demand for specific skills has led to a global war for talent. Companies can no longer be overly concerned about citizenship or location when recruiting for certain positions. This is very good news for those conducting an international job search.

Expanding into emerging economies where the number of skilled workers or experienced managers and executives are often quite low has always made finding skilled talent in these areas of the world a challenge. There are generally a wealth of options in many of these countries – Brazil, Russia, India, and China to name a few.

But the demand for skilled workers exists in both the developed and emerging markets. In fact, according to a recent OECD report, the countries with employers reporting some of the greatest skill shortages are Japan (80%), Australia (55%) and the United States (52%).

The Skills in Greatest Demand

These skills can vary from country to country and market to market. They can also change over time. But much of this information can be easily found online.

Countries in need of more skilled workforces often have skilled migrant or worker visa programs to attract those with skills that they lack. These visa programs give non-residents permission to do work they might not otherwise be able to get. Those programs generally have lists of the skills in the greatest demand.

For example, eligibility for Australia’s General Skilled Migration Visa requires having the skills to perform the occupations on their Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s Skilled Occupations List.

Developing the Skills in Demand

For those who feel they don’t have the skills in greatest demand, there are still options. With more universities developing professionally focused courses and an increasing number of distance learning and online training programs, there are many opportunities to further develop a skill set or learn a new one.

Do the research to find out which skill sets are in demand in your country of choice and then see what online learning options are available so you can develop the skills you need from wherever you are in the world.

Capitalizing on the Demand for Skills

You can increase your chances of international job search success by positioning yourself as an expert in skill sets most in demand in your target country – if you actually have them.

It’s important that you not misrepresent yourself by stating you have skills or strengths you don’t at any point during your job search. Claiming you can do things that you can’t will inevitably lead to poor performance and will negatively impact your career advancement and future opportunities.

However if your skills and strengths do align with those that are in demand, I recommend first clarifying your personal brand and then crafting your brand message with the greatest emphasis placed on those in demand skills. The next step would be developing career marketing tools and strategies to send that clear and consistent message of value to your target employers and recruiters on and offline.

[More: 10 Job Search Tips for International Job Seekers]

Bottom Line

By effectively communicating that you have the skills in greatest demand in your target countries through a strong brand message and the right brand communication strategies you can set yourself up for international job search success.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post Key to International Job Search Success: Capitalize on the Demand for Specific Skills appeared first on Job-Hunt.

But unlike many domestic job searches, in an international job search it’s also important to demonstrate the skills and strengths considered important for thriving in cross-cultural or multicultural working environments.

Most employers hiring for jobs overseas understand that knowing how to do your job is not enough to perform well abroad – you have to be able to engage in culturally appropriate ways as well in order to achieve objectives.

Cross-Cultural Skills and Strengths

Some of the skills and strengths associated with succeeding in cross-cultural environments include:

• Cultural sensitivity
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Positive attitude and resilience
• Cross-cultural communication skills
• Can make decisions in the face of ambiguity or uncertainty
• Passion for learning and new experiences
• Curiosity and open-mindedness
• Ability to quickly establish and build trust
• Strong relationship building skills

Demonstrating Those Skills and Strengths

Though the above list is not exhaustive, if a person is able to demonstrate most of these skills and strengths they are more likely to be seen as potential candidates for overseas positions.

The good news is that you don’t need to have spent time overseas to demonstrate many of these qualities or skills. All you need are examples you can share from your everyday life and work.

You can share about times when your flexibility or adaptability in a challenging situation helped you overcome obstacles and achieve results. You could cite when your ability to build trust or strong relationships was an essential part of meeting key objectives. Or you can report on how you were able to make some quick decisions in the face of uncertainty to pull your team through a difficult patch to realize their goals.

Cross-Cultural Environments at Home

You can also create cross-cultural experiences wherever you happen to be in the world to showcase other skills mentioned above.

Most people can find a place to learn a new language where they live, be it a formal school or a private tutor. Attempting to learn another language demonstrates a clear intention to equip yourself with what is needed to engage with people from other cultures.

In many places you can find organizations that support cross-cultural or international exchanges or events. You can inquire at your local rotary club, universities, international trade council, or art or cultural centers about ways that you can get involved or attend cross-cultural events or programs. You could participate in a tutoring or mentoring program, contribute your time to support an international film festival or volunteer to help organize a global business event. Any situation where you have to engage with other cultures could help you acquire the cross-cultural experience for which you are looking.

If you can’t find sufficient resources at home, you can always choose to use your holiday to pursue a short-term volunteer project in another country where you have to engage with the community on a regular or even daily basis. There are many programs that facilitate these sorts of holidays so you have a variety of locations and activities from which to choose.

Bottom Line

Demonstrating that you can operate in cross-cultural environments is an important part of conducting a successful international job search. The good news is that you likely have many skills and experiences to draw from to do that – or find the means to acquire them without having to leave home.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post Demonstrating Your Ability to Thrive in Cross-Cultural Work Environments appeared first on Job-Hunt.

But many of these job seekers are not aware of the differences between a job search at home and abroad and the challenges these differences can create. Not addressing these challenges can have a significant affect on your job search success.

Here are just some of the key differences between a domestic and international job search you should be aware of if you choose to pursue work abroad:

Work Permits

Part of securing a job abroad involves securing a work visa or permit to work in another country. Most of the time a job offer is required to get this visa or permit. And it usually involves the employer having to pay fees and complete paperwork to get these government authorizations.

The challenge this presents to the international job seeker is two fold. First, it makes them ineligible for many jobs as many employers are not willing to invest the time and money to secure work permissions for a non-citizen. And secondly, because most employers are naturally predisposed to avoid this additional effort and expense, local, qualified candidates will have a significant competitive edge over someone just as qualified but lacking the proper work authorization.

To overcome this challenge, it’s critical that you have a compelling, differentiated message of value that is reflected in all of your career communications and career marketing materials. It must be very clear how you can offer much more than local, qualified candidates and why you are worth the additional investment of time and money required to hire you.

That said, in some areas of the world this is not such a problem. For example, if you are a citizen of a country in the European Union (EU), you have permission to work in other EU countries.

Having Credentials That Are Jurisdictional

Another challenge one can encounter when conducting an international job search is that of jurisdictional credentials. You may have particular degrees or credentials that are recognized at home but not in your target country.

Hence, you may be qualified to do a job you enjoy in your home country that you’d like to do overseas but can’t because you don’t have the right credentials.

To address this challenge, it would be important to first be aware of which countries do accept your credentials before you start your job search. Then consider which of those countries would offer the job opportunities and lifestyle for which you are looking. There may also be cases where some additional training could remedy the situation.

However, when you are able to convey your qualifications and value effectively, you can sometimes position yourself for roles comparable to the ones for which your credentials are not accepted and find similarly satisfying work.

Language Skills

Another challenge of pursuing work in another country is that a lack of the right language skills can render the international job seeker ineligible for many jobs.

Given English is the language of business globally, those who speak English may not be at such a disadvantage as those who do not.

The best way to overcome this challenge is to target countries whose languages you already speak. For example, English is an official language or predominantly spoken in over 50 countries. French is an official language in 39 countries and dependent entities, and Spanish is predominately spoken in over 20 countries and territories.

Cultural Differences

Culture can affect every single part of the job search – how you access information, networking, job application process and materials, interviewing, salary negotiation, and more.

To overcome the multitude of challenges these cultural differences can present, it is critical that a person seeking a job abroad do their research to make sure that they are clear on what those differences are and respect them at every step in the process.

Dual Career Couples

If you are single, the job search overseas can be a challenge. But if you have a spouse who also wants to work, both of you must overcome these differences in the international job search together.

[More: 10 Job Search Tips for International Job Seekers]

Bottom Line

Although there are many differences between the job search at home and abroad, all of these challenges can be overcome with the right tools and strategies. However not taking these differences into account when defining your approach to an international job search can sabotage your chances of landing satisfying work abroad.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post How International Job Search Is Different from Job Search at Home appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Why work abroad?

Megan Fitzgerald, Job-Hunt’s International Job Search Expert, says of her personal experience,

“Having been abroad for over a decade and worked in 40+ countries, I can tell you after experiencing the benefits of living and working abroad, you may find it won’t be a choice for the short term. Working abroad can easily become a lifestyle choice filled with innumerable opportunities for learning, growth, travel, and adventure.“

Working abroad offers many important benefits:

• Advancing your career

  Given the global demand for talent and the need for strong management skills, working abroad can mean taking on a more senior position than you would normally be considered qualified for at home. This experience can better position you for more senior positions and quicker advancement in the future.

• Differentiating yourself

  Getting international experience and having a more global profile is a great way to stand out from people who have only domestic experience, particularly as international business becomes an increasingly important aspect of business survival and growth. The more recent and relevant the international experience, the better.

• Being considered for senior and C suite positions at global companies

  International experience is no longer just valued – it is becoming expected. 75% of Fortune 100 CEO’s have spent at least 2 years in a senior position overseas. If you are looking for a senior or CxO position in a top multinational corporation, international experience is an essential credential.

• Increasing your job opportunities

  Many countries around the world are still recovering from the recession, and job opportunities are at an all time low. However, in some emerging markets like India, China, and Brazil there is not enough talent to support their rapid growth. There is high demand for professionals and executives with particular skills sets, and there are many job opportunities across numerous industries. For example, it is reported that in some cities in China there are 9 job openings for every job seeker!

• Developing valuable skill sets

  One study conducted by INSEAD, a top international business school, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University reported people who live abroad are not only more creative, but are better negotiators and can more readily “think out of the box.”

• Learning a new language or improving your language skills

  Being able to speak another language is an important skill if you are interested in pursuing an international career. There is no better way to learn or improve your language skills than to be immersed in an environment where you must speak the language every day.

• Developing a “global mind set”

  Having a global mind set and the ability to work well in different cultures is critical if you are pursuing an international career. But in an increasingly globalized marketplace, more and more jobs and businesses will be engaging across cultures as a matter of course. Hence having cross-cultural skills and the right mind set are becoming valuable both at home and abroad.

• Making a difference in the world

  There are numerous opportunities with international assistance and development organizations as well as NGO’s and non-profits to help you make a difference in developing and transitional countries. Whether it be in global health, policy, education, or economic development, there are many ways that you can contribute to improving the quality of people’s lives worldwide.

• Having an adventure or experiencing a different lifestyle

  Not only will you have opportunities to travel and see how different people live, think, and work, but in many cases you can have a much better quality of life. Most certainly you’ll have experiences that will help you grow both personally and professionally.

An international job search is different from a USA-only job search in many ways, and Megan Fitzgerald, Job-Hunt’s International Job Search Expert will help you understand how to succesfully navigate these waters.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post International Job Search Guide appeared first on Job-Hunt.

This is even more true for the international job seeker.

Clarifying and communicating a powerful personal brand is critical for the international job seeker for several reasons:

You Must Stand Out to Get Found in the Global Talent Pool

Due to the demand for certain skills and experience, employers are now sourcing the global talent pool to meet their hiring needs.

This is good news for those in international job search as their target employers are likely more open to hiring them even though they are not located locally.

However this also means that they are competing with potentially thousands rather than tens or hundreds of people who are located close to their target companies and have similar profiles and goals.

Without a compelling and differentiating personal brand, it is easy to get lost in this global talent pool and never be considered for those desired roles.

You Must Stand Out Online to Attract Employers Actively Seeking Candidates

By definition in an international job search you are not co-located with your target organizations. So unless you are travelling quite frequently to your target country, you will have few to no chances to network or be visible to your target audience in person.

This means your primary – and possibly only – way of connecting with and being found by employers is online.

If you were to add up all of the members of the top online professional networks worldwide you’d come up with over 900 million people. Of course you won’t be competing with most of these people as their profiles and goals are different from yours. But those profiles still provide online data with which you must compete for top search results. This is why differentiating your online profile from others is essential to international job search success.

Lack of Local References or a Common Network Means Your Brand Online Speaks for You

Online search is not just a sourcing tool. It is also a reference check.

When you do not have local contacts or a common network with decision makers, the recommendations on your online profiles will serve as references.

Since credible references have an impact on both the strength of your candidacy and credibility, your unique value, results, and endorsements online must be sufficiently numerous and strong to compete with those candidates who have local and known references.

Bottom Line

It is imperative that you craft a compelling, differentiating message of value or personal brand both on- and offline if you want to be found in the global talent pool, attract hiring employers and establish the credibility you need to land work abroad.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post Why Personal Branding Is Critical to International Job Search Success appeared first on Job-Hunt.

But in an increasingly competitive and global marketplace, even if you are not looking to work abroad, having a more international profile can help you in your job search.

By differentiating yourself – by being more “global” – you are more likely to stand out. The global presentation will strengthen your application for many types of positions.

As more companies are doing business internationally and virtually, global teams become more common.  Many employers are now considering the ability to work across cultures as a highly desired, if not required, skill set. Hence presenting as more of a “global citizen” will help you attract job opportunities wherever you are in the world.

Here are just a few tips on how to internationalize your bio:

• Share about your international experiences.You can include previous and current work experiences overseas, any type of study abroad, volunteer work overseas, or even international travel.
• Show you have the qualities and skills necessary to succeed overseas.Employers hiring for jobs overseas will seek out people with qualities and skills necessary to successfully work in other cultures. Examples of these include cross-cultural communication skills, language skills, being flexible, adaptable, and resilient as well as being comfortable in multicultural environments.
• Write about your unique value in a culturally appropriate fashion.Cultural “fit” is an important part of evaluating a candidate for a job. Be sure the values communicated through your bio are aligned with the culture in which you’d like to work.For example, team achievement is more celebrated than individual achievement in Japan. So if you are pursuing jobs in Tokyo, be sure that your bio reflects your team-orientation (if in fact you have it).
• Use the right keywords to get found online.Up to 85% of employers and recruiters are searching online for people to fill their current and future job openings. This includes hiring for international jobs and assignments. In order to get found by these candidate and talent seekers, it’s important to have the right keywords in your bios and profiles online so you have a chance of showing up in their search results.Examples of keywords to use in your bio to help you get found online include: “cross-cultural,” “international,” “global,” “bilingual,” “trilingual,” “multilingual,” “fluent,” “developing countries,” “emerging markets,” and the names of your target cities, countries, or regions.

Bottom Line

Whether you are looking for jobs overseas, an international assignment or just a way to stand out from your competition, “Internationalizing” your professional bio is extremely important. It will give you a competitive edge and what you need to be successful in your international job search.

About this author…

Megan Fitzgerald is an expat career and personal branding coach, CEO of Career By Choice, and your guide to the world of international careers. With two decades of experience supporting professionals and entrepreneurs in 40+ countries across 6 continents, Megan uses a 360°approach to help expats and international job seekers become highly visible, sought after, and land work abroad. You can read about expat careers at CareerbyChoiceBlog, and also find her on Twitter as @ExpatCoachMegan, on Facebook, and, of course, on LinkedIn.

The post Internationalize Your Bio for Your International Job Search appeared first on Job-Hunt.